Revelations
by SinnerStar
Summary: On Kagome's side of the world, all is not well... but all won't be bad either. She just needs to take a little time knowing herself and making her decisions. Kagome's personality/reactions portrayal w a little of everyone else. Oneshot collection.
1. Dream Chaser

_Disclaimer: I do not own "Inuyasha", for if I did, it would've never finished. & I would've been making a sh*tloada $$. Instead of my present state... Let's just not go there._

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**01: Dream Chaser**

While her friends tried to alleviate her sadness with compliments and assurances, she knew the truth. They may or may not truly believe that Inuyasha's strength was derived from the will to protect her and that he was stronger for it, but she understood that Inuyasha's strength was from the will to protect _her_, and not herself. Did it sound confusing? She supposed she should use _her_ name rather than just the indicative noun.

Kikyo.

Things to do with Inuyasha always did come down to that single name didn't it? Of course.

Fact was, Inuyasha's inability to truly differentiate between herself and _Kikyo_ sorely annoyed her sometimes. She knew he was pining for her and trying to make up for their depressing, betrayed end. She also saw that he did see Kagome as a different person than Kikyo. Sometimes. Not enough. And, never when he's desperately protecting her from danger.  
Because frankly, she wasn't sure he actually remembered that that physical body and half soul of hers was still Kagome. She could tell he understood the _concept_ of Kagome versus Kikyo since their personalities were so different, but once he _looked_ at her, however differently she dressed, it all seemed to turn into the image of Kikyo. Maybe if she dyed her hair red, he would relate her physical body to the concept of Kagome.


	2. Half Soul

**02: Half Soul**

They put too much into the idea of souls.

She could only sense the shikon because of their power which resounded off each piece and called to all in the land with the promise of power. Thus she, the only miko who had a true connection with its power, was perhaps on the same wavelength, so to speak, as the shards; she could feel their call.

Kikyo on the other hand, did not broadcast her location, nor did she spread out her aura very far to detect or create a bond with Kagome. Split souls did not retain bonds towards each other magically like that. They could, but they did not automatically do so. While the pieces of their souls called to each other, neither priestess could locate the other unless they were in close range. Kikyo did not have the power to maintain such a link in her clay body and Kagome had not the training nor the will.

…

However, that is not to say that Kagome did not recognize when the other half of her, _their_, soul was around.  
The shinidamachu were quite the proverbial neon sign.  
And even had they not been around, Inuyasha's sudden focus on a single place just beyond the group's vision would be.  
And even if everyone had attributed the hanyou's actions as a random need to be alert, or notice to an incoming threat, there was still…  
one sure factor:

The taunting whisper sent from one half of their soul to the other. _He is mine; he cannot deny me; he loves me still.  
You are nothing_ was always unsaid, but the other half of her soul would always be sure to impress the message roughly, deeply, into her heart.

There was no way to argue it and being half of anything seemed to perpetually hurt, and when she could finally scrounge up a reply, it was always thus: _He was never here; he has always been yours; I have never stood against your love._  
A taunting smirk or mocking snort was always the image she received, just before Inuyasha would escape the clearing, pointless excuses or not.

Her only consolation was that when Kikyo was near, the pain from leaving her soul broken was dulled. The sharp jagged edges of her torn soul would grind less painfully against her ribcage. So while her heart throbbed in emotional pain, at least she could breathe without wanting to drop dead. Or maybe not, but at least she could relax knowing the rash hanyou was occupied and there was no one else to prey on her weaknesses. She would never explain to him that it was not the feeling of inferiority to Kikyo that had her hurting, but the fact that he left, left them in the wilds with no adequate explanation so that they would be alert for danger. After all his implied promises and double standards, the hanyou boy did not even have the decency to warn them. He would have left them clueless and open to attacks had the tachi had not been expecting his actions.  
He was their protector unless there was Kikyo, and she would be important to him unless there was Kikyo.

Or he had the notion that she _was_ Kikyo.

Sad that he never recognized that her and Kikyo had never been connected, their physical attributes were similar to half the Japanese (seriously, who doesn't have black hair?), and while they may both love the same half-demon, they have never been the same person. The emotional pain they each carried had never been the same.  
And Kikyo's half of the soul had no jagged edges.  
The half of the soul she had called back was probably broken only from the moment she heard Inuyasha's desperate shout and Kikyo opened her lifeless eyes.

So much into the idea of souls, and yet they missed all the important parts.  
There were no more questions over her soul once she stated that she felt no connection to the Kikyo-golem. Even as she was recognized as a reincarnation and always compared, no one wanted to know if there was any pain in her soul's state of separation. As long as she saw the shards, she was useful. As long as she moved forward in their search, they felt accomplished.

And by 'they', this half soul of hers obviously meant Inuyasha.

Really, the people of this time placed too much on the idea of souls.  
And it was tearing her already half soul into even more painful little pieces.


	3. Mother

A/N: Happy Mother's Day~

**03: Mother**

Kagome took the time to have Shippo learn. Whether it was to use his natural senses or to read and write, both could aid him in times of need.  
She did not want Shippo to learn the atrocious survival behavior of Inuyasha. Even if Inuyasha was still alive after all his centuries of rushing in without thinking and provoking battles _on_ _purpose_.

She knew Inuyasha was probably only still alive because of both his father's and his brother's protection. His father's fang and blood, and his brother's claim that only he would kill the whelp, protected Inuyasha from being hunted and slaughtered.

Shippo, however, had neither of these, and would thus have to survive as normal people did, with wits and will and proper use of power and knowledge. Inuyasha could do with more of all of those survival skills. Not to mention some manners. Shippo would know how to mind his manners, thank goodness. Shippo would also, hopefully, understand the uselessness of excess pride and provoking death battles while dragging everyone else in. Shippo would learn that to protect was the hardest and that honor and emotions would make him a better person.  
Of course, Shippo would always be the fox he was, with the joys of tricks and taunting as base characteristics. She didn't mind, it was his personality to do so. As long as Shippo understood the merits of seriousness in dire times, drawing the line between taunting and killed, and planned his actions, he could have all the fun he wished.  
He had a wonderful teacher after all.  
Kagome often toed the line between outspoken and killed.

She ignored the little part of her that told her she did so _perhaps, a little too often_.


End file.
